Frequency meter



PEAK

VOLTMETER DISCHARGE CIRCUITS PULSESHAPING CIRCUITS PULSE SHAPING CIRCUITS SIGNAL SAWTOOT H WAVE F OR M DON/ILD WEIGHTON fis Patented Oct. 23, 195i #Donald Weighton, Cambridge, jngland, `assigner to Pye Limited, Cambridge, England, a British COmpally "Seesen gruene-Law engages 8,1946

l Patent expires SepteinbenS, i960 3"Cli1s. (Cl. F75-381) A They present inventionIV relates `t0 -dfefvice's "for and more particularly to frequencyriletersvsrl'iich linay be "used to `give fa "continuous indication of frequency, not only when the "said -'oscillations are ColtiliiOus, bili? When they "are interrupted by sudden changes ef'eh'ese. Y

in 'connection'Withapparatus for determinin'gthe distance of'a body'byil'neans of'a rciiected'ra'dio wave. .l

'Itlis known 'that vthe"dist-ance of `a reecting body `rnay"be"determinedby transmitting "a'radio wave which is "frequency modulated inthe "form 'of a Vsaw tooth,andproducing"in the'receivera beat note betweenthe reflected andtransl'riitted `waves. The frequencyoi the beat note then indicates'the distance vof thereflecting bod'y,'but the note -is interrupted by "sudden-changes of phase occurring at each flyback 'of 'the modulating'saw tooth. Y v

If such a Avvai'faf-periodicallyA interrupted by sudden changes of phase, '-is'fed to a normal'type of irequencyfmeter, in Which-the condenser 'is charged and 'discharged on each cycle,'the-i-n dication will be discontinuous, reading only multiples of the sawftoothrepetition rate. The distance vof `the reflecting-body cannot-thenbe accurately deter-mined -unless the beat note is large compared with the repetition rate. v'v'ihus, a Very `'large frequency 4excursion is-reduired I for themeasurement offsmall distances, a condition which itis diicult-tojre'alize irl-practice. The present invention VInrovides a, frequency meter capable of continuous reading (provided that there 'are at least two cycles in each saw tooth period) whereby very small distances lmay -be accurately measured withlfarelatively small 'irelquency excursion 'of theradio transmitter.

From one aspect, the invention `consists in a frequency meterwherein 'the electric oscilla# tions of `'which 'the `frequency is `.to 'befmeasinfed are lfed to a limitingcircuit which selects *the peaks only of veach cycle, which lpeaks are einployed to discharge a 'capacity which is charged from a suitable source fof v`potential during the time intervals occurring between `successive peaks, and wherein `the peak voltage'facquired by the capacity duringsaid time intervalslis incasured to Ygive an indication ofthe time 'interval occurring between successive :peaks and ythus of the frequencyofthe oscillations. n

The invention alsoconsists in afrequency meterwherein the 'electricos'cillations o f which the frequency is to bemeasured are yfed to "a limiting eireuit 'which selects 'the peaks only "ef e'ach l cycle, fwhich peaks 'are applied to the `g-iid of a 'therinonic valve to discharge a condenser connected acro'ssit's anode circuit,`said condenser 5 Abeing charged` during the time intervals between Successive 'peaks rtli'll'gil a ''sis'tor connected i t0 the source ofy anodepo'te'ritial, and'wherei'n means are providedforineasuring the'peak voltage acquiredbysai'd capacity to'indicate 'the timein- 0 'tervei o'eem-ringftetween successive 'peaks 'and thus th'e'fedueiicy f thes'cilla'tions. L l Preferably the pulse peaks are AVfed thro'u'h'a pulse, shaping circuit or circuits -before "being einplo'ydtodischarg'e'the capacity or condenser.

In'thecase'wher'e signals of'the'abovernentioned type which'suiier periodicphase shift are to'be ineasii'red,`thecapacity or condenser is'also discharged 'etnie endf each period. y

The invention may be carried out in 'the iolafter' siiitable amplication, to a 'limiting `circuit 'which selects the peaks only of each cycle, and -these Aare'then further slfia'rp'ened in successive shapingcircuits to form positive pulses 'f short duration. These pulses are"then applied to 'the grid f a''thf1r1iK'51`fic Valve to vdislflalg'e Ya. vcCldnserconnectedin its 'anode circuit. The condenser is charged through a resistor'connecte'd to a' surc'eo'f liigh'potential and is 'also periodical- 1y 'discharged 'by a ruf-ther 'thermionic valve,

which is fed with pulses derivedfroin `diiierentiationff vthe modulatingsawitoth.

v".Fhepeak potential across the condenserisdeterir'iiedby kthe log'ttime interval occurring be weenthe successive pulses '(i. e. by the fre- 40 applicationreferredito above, may be ma'deto read directly theV distance ofthe 'reiiecting body.

I n'order that 'the invention may bemoreclearly junder's'toodreference will now :be'ma'deyby way of l e'xainple, tov the Aaccompanying drawings,

in which:

Fig, f1 shows the general arrangemento'f an apparatusfaccording' tok theinvention, y*

Fig. '2 shows'ja circuitdiagram and'Fig. 3 shows a'waveform diagram.

TheA incoming signal is 'fed to a' hulseshaping circuit Vof the ,peak selecting type,`whereby a wave 'form' consisting fof sharp' pulses vis obtained,

one pulseV occurringiorl each cycle -of the jinpu't' circuitcornprising apondenser, the peak voltage ing circuit are applied in positive sense to the grid'- of a gas-lled relay tube V1 through the condenser C1. This grid is negatively biassed through the resistor R1, so that the relay is onlycaused to conduct by the peaks of each pulse. When the relay tube V1 conducts, the condenser C3, which is charged from a source of high potential y through the resistor R2, dischargesv through the relay. In the interval between pulses, the condenser Ca. again charges from the source of high potential through the resistor R2, and the peak voltage acquired by the condenser C3 therefore depends upon the interval between successive pulses, that is, on the' frequency of the signalV This'peak voltage is measured on a peak`voltmeter of conventional design, consisting of the diode` V3, the condenser C4, the resistor R4, and the galvanometer M.

'An important feature of the invention consists in the operation of the frequency meter on a signal which suiersperiodic phase shifts of any angle, provided at least two complete cycles occur inthe interval between successive phase shifts. jf.

When measuring the freqeuncy of the beat note in apparatus for determining the distance of a body by'means of a reected radio wave as above described, these phase shifts occur at the end of each frequency sweep of the transmitter. For

4 meter V3. R4, C4 and M, an indication is obtained of the frequency of the oscillation. However, in the presence of sudden changes of phase the circuit thus far described (i. e., in the absence of the tube V2) would fail to indicate the true frequency of the oscillation. As shown in Fig. 3, the time intervals between the pulses 4 and 5 and between 5 and 6 correspond to the time of one cycle of the oscillation. At the point of phase change, however, there can occur intervals between pulses longer than that corresponding to the oscillation tube. measured, such as, for example, between the pulses `ligand l and 9 and l0. During these intervals the condenser C3 of the timing circuit in' Fig. 2 Would'charge up to a higher potential than that acquired during the intervals Abetween the pulses 4,5 and 6, and the voltmeter circuit V3,

operating on a signal of this nature, a further gas-filled relay tube V2 is provided. The grid of this tube is negatively biassedthrough the resistor R3, and pulses derived from the saw tooth modulation are fed to the grid through the condenser C2, so that the condenser C3 is also dischargedV through V2 at the end of each period, in addition to discharging through V1 on each pulse. Ihis ensures that the condenser Ca .is not allowed to charge for a period longer than the interval lbetween cycles of the incoming signal, but may be discharged after a shorter interval at the end of each sawtooth period. Provided that the time constant of the resistor R4 and the condenser C4 is sufficiently long, this will not aiect the reading of thepeak voltmeter.

The wave forms occurring at various points in I the circuit are shown in Figg. The curve shown at B represents an'oscillation which is periodically interrupted in phase, the sudden changes'of phaseV occurring at 'the points I, '2,' 3, etc. As above described, the invention permits the measurement of the frequency'of an oscillation of this kind in spite of the fact that the sudden changes of phase would cause an erroneous indication on a frequency meter of conventional design. The peaks of the oscillation are clipped off and formed into a waveform of sharp pulses as shown at C. This wave form is that applied tothe condenser C1 in Fig. 2. In the absence o'f the tube V2 the tube V1, resistor R2 and condenser Csioperate as a time or frequency measuring circuit in a well-known manner. The condenser C3 charges from the high tension supply via the resistor R2 and is discharged at intervals by the tube" V1 which is opened at intervals by the pulses shown at C in'Fig. 3. The maximum potential reached by the anode of V1 depends on thc'interval'between the pulses, and by measuring this maximum potential by means of theA peak volt-` vic Ci and R1' would read this higher voltage instead of the true one. The present invention avoids this by the use of the tube V2 which is connected in parallel with the tube V1 and discharges the condenser C3 each time a sudden change in phase occurs. This is 'achieved by supplying to the grid of the tube V2 the pulses Il, I2, etc. shown at D in Fig. 3, these pulses being derived from a sawtooth wave form shown at A. In this case, as shown'at E in Fig. 3, the condenser Cs of Fig.' 2 charges during the interval .between pulses 6 and Hand between Il and 1, and similarly between pulses 9 and l2 and between l2 and I, to a potentialV less than that acquired between the normal pulses 4, 5, 6, etc. The peak voltmeter circuit istherefor'e not distur-bed by the potentials built up during the former intervals and responds only to the latter representing the true frequency of theV oscillation.

In fthe example cited in the'forgoing, thefrequency meter is used to measure the beat produced between the reflected and transmitted wave of a frequency modulated distance measuring equipment. In this case, the sawtooth wave form with which the transmitter is modulated infrequency is available at the equipment and may be used to generate the pulses shown at D in Fig. 3. vAlthough a particular embodiment according to the invention has been described, it will be understood n that various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim: Y 1. Measuring apparatus responsive to electrical oscillations of a` type suffering periodic phase shift, comprising a grid-controlled relay tube, means for normally biassing the grid of said tube to cut-oi. a timing condenser in the anode circuit of said tube, means for charging said condenser from a source of constant potential, means for shaping incoming oscillations to a peak pulse Iwaveform havingV onerpulse per cycle of said oscillations, means for applying said waveform to said grid to `cause said tube tov'become intermittently conducting and thereby discharge said condenser through said tube for the duration of each of said pulses impressed on said grid, said condenser charging rom said source during intervals between successive pulses, a second grid-controlled relay tube, means for normal biasing rthe grid of said second tube to cut-oir, said second tube having an anode circuit including said condenser,l means for periodically impressing pulses on the grid of said second tube tol causesaid second tube to become intermittently conducting and thereby discharge said condenser through said second tube periodically at the end. of each phase period,V and means for measuring the `peak voltages acquired by said condenser in the intervals between discharges.

2. Measuring apparatus responsive to a beat frequency of a type obtained by transmitting a radio wave which is frequency modulated in the form of a sawtooth, ren-acting said Wave and beating the transmitted and reflected waves, comprising a grid-controlled relay tube, means for normally biasing the grid of said tube to cut-off, a timing condenser in the anode circuit of said tube, means for charging said condenser from a source of constant potential, means for shaping incoming oscillations to a peak pulse waveform having one pulse per cycle of said oscillations, means for applying said waveform to said grid to cause said tube to become intermittently conducting and thereby discharge said condenser through said tube for the duration of each of said pulses impressed on said grid, said condenser charging from said source during intervals between successive pulses, a second grid-controlled relay tube, means for normal biassing the grid of said seccnd tube to cut-off, said second tube having an anode circuit including said condenser, means for periodically impressing pulses derived from said sawtooth modulation on the grid of said second tube to cause said second tube to become intermittently conducting and thereby discharge said condenser through said second tube periodically at the end of each phase period, and means for measuring the peak voltages acquired by said condenser in the intervals between discharges.

3. Measuring apparatusresponsive to a beat frequency of a type obtained by transmitting a radio wave which is frequency modulated in the form of a sawtooth, reflecting said wave and beating the Y transmitted and reflected waves comprising a grid-controlled relay tube, means for normally biassing the grid of said tube to cut-off, a timing condenser in the anode circuit of said tube, means for charging said condenser from a source of constant potential, means for shaping incoming oscillations to a peak pulse waveform having one pulse per cycle of said oscillations, means for applying said waveform to said grid to cause said tube to become intermittently conducting and thereby discharge said condenser through said tube for the duration of each of said pulses impressed on said grid, said condenser charging from said source during intervals between successive pulses, a second grid-controlled relay tube, means for normal bia-ssing the grid of said second tube to cut-dii, said second tube having an anode circuit including said condenser, shaping means for deriving by differentiation from the modulating sawtooth waveform a pulse waveform providing one pulse at the end of each sawtooth period, means for impressing said last-mentioned pulse waveform on the grid of said second tube to cause said second tube to become intermittently conducting and thereby discharge said condenser through said second tube periodically at the end of each sawtooth period, and means for Imeasuring the peak voltages acquired by said condenser in the intervals between discharges.

DONALD WEIGHTON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,021,766 Bivens Nov. 19, 1935 2,110,015 Fitzgerald Mar. 1, 1938 2,122,464 Golay July 5, 1938 2,137,859 Schwartz et al Nov. 22, 1938 2,176,742 LaPierre Oct. 17, 1939 2,217,477 Gulliksen Oct. 8, 1940 2,228,367 Sanders June 14, 1941 2,301,195 Bradford Nov. 10, 1942 2,370,692 Shepherd Mar. 6, 1945 2,429,636 McCoy Oct. 28, 1947 

